Today is Christmas Eve. I have a miserable cold...or possibly the flu. My husband has been sick for a week. But with that said, once again I anticipate sharing Christmas with all members of my family around the table although happily, that celebration won't occur until December 26 giving me a bit of time to recover from my least favorite and totally unreturnable Christmas "gift."

Yesterday, I picked my son up at the airport - complete with his usual travel drama stories and conversation peppered with bad language and Army lingo. He still has not figured that you attract more flies with honey when it comes to dealing with stressed out O'Hare employees who would rather be home with their families than dealing with stressed out and unhappy travelers. He wanted to talk into the wee hours of the morning...but with a snort and a sneeze, I slinked into my warm bed - complete with three down comforters and a heating pad for my back. I considered putting on my fleece hat but decided it was really taking the sympathy thing a bit far.

As I write this, my boys, now young men and my daughter...still the mature one have taken my folks to church after trying to get me "better" all day. I refused to be typhoid Mary to all of those who gathered today to pray for peace and goodwill among all peoples to honor the birth of Christ and will watch the midnight services on television with my box of kleenex, vaporizor and bottle of aspirin close by and my dogs who will lie strategically on my bed to keep me toasty warm. And I will dream of first Christmases with tiny babies - toddlers running around the tree with eyes full of wonder - school aged children who learned that giving was indeed as good as getting on Christmas.

With all of my heart, I will pray that next Christmas will see all of us gathered around the table again - safe and healthy (and perhaps without a cold but what can I say?). I will say a prayer for the thousands of families who have loved ones in dangerous spots and I will pray for comfort for those who will always have an empty place at the table and in their hearts.

Happy Christmas and Peace on Earth - Goodwill to all of God's Children.